Fire-lighter



(No Model.)

W. A. SAUL & J. M. ZIMMERMAN.

FIRE LIGHTER.

No. 592,450. Patented Oct. 26,1897.

WITNESSES IJV'V'E TORS UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

IVARREN A. SAUL AND JAMES M. ZIMMERMAN, OF STEELTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

FIRE-LIGHTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 592,450, dated October 26, 1897.

Application filed January 7, 1897. Serial No. 618,365. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, \VARREN A. SAUL and JAMES M. ZIMMERMAN, citizens of the United States, residing at Steelton, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Lighters; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact de scription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in fire-starters, and has more particular relation to such devices as are adapted to start fires in stoves without the use of kindling.

The invention consists of certain novel constructions, all of which will be hereinafter more particularly set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the device embodying our invention, and Fig. 2 represents a top plan view of the same.

A in the drawings represents the absorbent block, B the handle, and C the supportinglegs. The absorbent block A is preferably composed of hardened clay or brick, adapted to absorb and hold a great quantity of oil. This block is provided with a peripheral groove a. The wire forming the handle B is bent into a loop I) and then inwardly about itself to form a shank b the two free ends of said wire being passed about said block A in the groove a and secured in position by I being twisted into a coil b to the rear side of the block, the open ends of said wire extending laterally outward and downward to form the supporting-legs C.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that when the block A is soaked with oil and lighted it may be inserted into the stove under the grate and be supported in position by the legs 0, so that the flame from said block will ascend through the grate and start the combustion of the fuel above the same. The capacity of the block A is such that the device will burn for at least fifteen minutes, and thereby will thoroughly ignite either wood or coal fuel above'the grate.

After the fire is thoroughly started, before the oil has burned out of the block, the latter may be removed by its handle and plunged into a vessel of oil to extinguish it.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that the only elements necessary for the construction of our invention are a block of brick or clay and a single piece of wire.

The device may thus be very cheaply constructed and manufactured, and has no parts liable to become inoperative by the excessive heat to which the device is subjected when in operation.

The hand of the person using the device is thoroughly protected from the heat of the flame rising from the block A by the length of the handle B.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a fire-starter, the combination with an absorbent non-combustible block having a groove formed about its periphery, of a single piece of wire bent to form a loop handle, an extended twisted shank, a loop surrounding the absorbent block and lying in the groove of the same, a short twisted extension, and two laterally and downwardly projecting spaced supporting-legs, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribmg witnesses.

WARREN A. SAUL. JAMES M. ZIMMERMAN.

Witnesses:

CHAs. W. WILsoN, JOHN H. SNAVELY. 

